Textiles containing cellulose derivatives



Patented Feb; 16, 1937 "NITED STATES "r oFFicE TEXTILES CONTAININGCELLULOSIE DERIVATIVES No Drawing.

Application April 26, 1932, Serial No. 607,667.. In Great Britain June18, 1931 14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in materials containin'gcellulose derivatives and particularly textiles, for instance threads,yarns, fabrics and the like. I

5 As is well known a large number of effects may be obtained,particularly in textile yarns, threads and fabrics, by application ofsuitable shrinking agents. We have found that methylene chloride,ethylene chloride, chloroform, tetrachlorethane,

l dichlorethylene, ethyl acetate and like agents are highly satisfactoryshrinking agents for cellulose esters and ethers. Not only do the saidagents allow of a wide latitude in the amount of shrinkage which takesplace, but in addition the matemoreover the tensile strength and othervaluable properties of the materials are not deleteriously affected. Thesaid agents are not actually solvents for the commercial acetone-solublecellulose acetate but are capable of swelling the cellulose acetate to avery high degree. When admixed withv comparatively smallproportions ofother agents, and particularly alcohols, which are not themselvessolvents for the cellulose acetate, a solvent mixture is produced. Themethylene chloride and like agents are customarily termed latentsolvents for the cellulose acetate and will be so referred to in thisspecification.

The invention contemplates broadly the application to the materials ofmethylene chloride, ethylene chloride, dichlorethylene, chloroform,tetrachlorethane, ethyl acetate, or other latent solvents so as toproduce a shrinkage effect.

The shrinkage may be utilized to obtain efiects of widely varyingcharacter in textile yarns, threads orfabrics made of or containingcellulose acetate or other cellulose esters or ethers. Thus, forinstance, a cellulose acetate yarn or a yarn made of another celluloseester or ether may be associated by twisting, knitting or weaving, orany other means with another yarn which is not shrinkable by themethylene chloride or like agent, and the mixed thread or fabric may betreated with the methylene chloride or like agent so as to produce ashrinkage of the cellulose derivative only and thereby produce variouseffects depending on the character of the material under treatment. Inthe case of a doubled thread the product resembles to some extent theso-called "slu yarn. By weaving a fabric with wefts and/or warpsalternating with wefts and/or warps of another fibre, the alternationbeing for example 1:1, 2:2, 2:1 and so forth, pebble, cockle or crepeeffects may be produced. In the case of a weft rials need not undergoany substantial variation, in lustre, if such variation is not desired,and

of cellulose derivative alternating with another fibre, forexamplecotton, the warp, may consist wholly of cellulose'derivative or whollyof another fibre or partly of cellulose derivative and partly of anotherfibre. Brocade and like effects may be produced on knitted, woven orother fabrics by the local application of the new shrinking agents tothe fabric. Further the methylene chloride or like shrinking agents ofthe present invention may be utilized to reducethe tendency of knittedfabrics to ladder, of warp knitted fabrics to split, and of wovenfabrics to slip, the shrinking brought about by the agent of the presentinvention apparently causing a closer packing of the threads, therebyminimizing the tendency to the above faults. Further the inventioncontemplates the obtain? ment of any other desired effect by shrinkage,as

for example the stretching. of umbrellafabrios on their frames byproducing a suitable shrinkage.

The methylene chloride or like shrinking agent may be applied by anysuitable means depending on the particular effect desired. If it isdesired to obtain a uniform treatment, as for example in the treatmentof mixed threads, yarns or fabrics or in the preparation ofnon-laddering, non-splitting.

or non-slipping fabrics, the agent may be applied for example by a bathtreatment, byspraying methods or by padding or in the form of vapour.Local application to obtain brocade or like effects may be achieved byprinting methods, for example in conjunction with a suitable thickeningagent upon the method of preparation of the yarn. We a have found thatthe shrinkage is in general greater with the modern high tenacity wetspun yarns than it is with the commercial dry spun yarns, and moreoverwith the dry spun yarns is greater if the yarn has been previouslysubjected to a stretching treatment. Methylene chloride or like agentwhen used alone produces in general a very high degree .of shrinkage,and it is preferable to modify the effect somewhat by the addition ofsuitable (11111? ents to the methylene chloride or like agent as ..doesnot .constitutea solvent mixture.

for example benzene, toluene, xylene, or other cyclic hydrocarbons,benzine, petrol ether, kerose'ne and other hydrocarbons of the aliphaticor petroleum series, carbon tetrachloride, trichlor-- ethylene,perchlorethylene and other chlorinated or halogenated compounds whichare inert or comparatively inert towards the cellulose derivative.Alcohols may be employed as diluents, though of course they will be usedin proportions which with the methylene chloride or like agent However,we prefer diluents which are not miscible with water. We find itpreferable to restrain the high shrinking action of the methylenechloride or like agent by the addition of such a diluent so as to reducethe concentration of the methylene chloride to about to Benzene andcarbon tetrachloride are very suitable diluents for use with methylenechloride in such a concentration. In some cases a powerful latentsolvent such as methylene chloride may be diluted with a less powerfullatent solvent such as dichlorethylene. Thus for instance mixturescontaining 70-80% of dichlorethylene and 30-20%of methylene chlorideyield very good results. If desired the amount of shrinkage may bemodified by exerting a suitable tension upon the yarn, thread or fabricunder treatment, such tension being either insufficient to'prevent someshrinkage or being sufiicient to prevent shrinkage, the tension beingsubsequently decreased or removed so as to enable the shrinkage to takeplace. V

The present invention further includes the production of shrinkageeffects by means of a differential shrinkage obtainable as describedabove, between two or more different types of cellulose derivative yarn,for example wet and dry spun yarns or yarns of different esters orethers or of different ester or ether content. Such differentiallyshrinkable yarns may be used alone or in conjunction with other fibres.

Of the various fibres which may be used in association with theshrinkable cellulose derivative yarns and which are substantiallyunshrinkable by the methylene chloride or like agents, mention may bemade of natural silk, wool, cotton and the cellulosic type of artificialsilk.

'While the invention has been described above more particularly withreference to materials composed of or containing acetone-solublecellulose acetate, it may be applied to materials made from orcontaining other cellulose acetates or other esters, for examplecellulose formate, propionate, butyrate, nitro .acetate and the like, ormade from or containing cellulose ethers,,for instance methyl, ethyl orbenzyl cellulose or made from or containing cellulose ether-esters.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. Process for the production of shrinkage effects on artificialmaterials containing filaments, threads, yarns and the like'of organicderivatives of ,cellulose having at most only a low degree of twist,which comprises applying to said materials, in the presence of awater-immiscible diluent, a swelling agent which. is a latent solventfor the cellulose derivative, and allowing the materials to shrink. I

2. Process for the production of shrinkage effects on filaments,threads, yarns and like materials containing organic derivatives ofcellulose and having at most only a low degree of twist and on fabricscontaining the same, which comprises applying thereto, in the presenceof a water-immiscible diluent, a halogenated hydrocarbon swellingagent'which is a latent solvent for the cellulose derivative, andallowing the materials to shrink.

3. Process for the production of shrinkage.

efiects onfilaments, threads, yarns and like materials containingacetone-soluble cellulose acetate and having at most only a low degreeof twist and on fabrics containing the same, which comprises applyingthereto methylene chloride, in

the presence of a diluent which is not miscible with Water, and allowingthe materials to shrink. 4. Process for' the production of shrinkageeffects on filaments, threads, yarns and like materials. containingorganic derivatives of cellulose and having at most only a low degree oftwist and on fabrics containing the same, which comprises locallyapplying thereto a swelling agent which is a latent solvent for thecellulose deriva-. tive'and which is dissolved in a water-immisciblediluent, and allowing the materials to shrink.

5. Process for the production of shrinkage effects on filaments,threads, yarns and like materials containing organic derivatives ofcellulose and having at most only a low degree of twist and on fabricscontaining the same, which comprises locally applying thereto, in thepresence of a water-immiscible diluent, a halogenated hydrocarbonswelling agent which is a latent solvent for the cellulose derivative,and allowing the.

materials to shrink.

6. Process for the production of shrinkage eifects on filaments,threads, yarns and like mate rials containing acetone-soluble celluloseacetate ferent reactions to the shrinking action of said and having atmost only a low degree of twist and on fabrics containing the same,which comprises locally applyingtheretc methylene chloride in presenceof a diluent which is not miscible with water, and allowing-thematerials to shrink.

-7. Process for the production of shrinkage effects on mixed threads oryarns having at most only a low ,degree of twist and mixedjabrics andlike materials composed of yarns having at most only a low degree oftwist and containing at least i one organic derivative of cellulose,which com prises shrinking in selected areas with a swelling agent whichis a latent solvent for the organic derivative of cellulose and which isdissolved in a water-immiscible diluent, materials containingconstituents having difierent reactions to the shrinking action of saidlatent solvent.

- 8. Process for the production of shrinkage efiects on mixed threads oryarns having at most only a low degree of twist and mixed fabrics andlike materials composed of yarns having at most only a low degree oftwist and containing at least one organic derivative of cellulose,,which compriSesshrinking in selected areas, in the presence of adiluent not miscible with water, with a halogenated hydrocarbon swellingagent which is a latent solvent for the organic derivative of cellulose,materials containing constituents having diflatent solvent. v

9. Process for, the production of shrinkage efiects on mixed threads oryarns having at most only a low degree of twist and mixed fabrics andlike materials composed of yarns having at most only a low degree oftwist and containing organic derivatives .of cellulose, which comprisesshrinking with a swelling agent which is a latent solvent for theorganic derivatives of cellulose and which is dissolved in awater-immiscible diluent, materials containing organic derivatives ofcellulose having different reactions to the shrinking action of saidlatent solvent. 7

10. Process for the production of shrinkage 1 most only a low degree oftwist and containing at" efi'ects on mixed threads or yarns having atmost only a low degree of twist and mixed fabrics and like materialscomposed'of yarns having at most only a low degree of twist andcontaining at least one organic derivative of cellulose, which comprisesshrinking in the presence of a water-immiscible diluent and with ahalogenated hydrocarbon swelling agent which is a latent solvent for theorganic derivative of cellulose, materials containing constituentshaving different reactions to the shrinking action of said latentsolvent.

11. Process for the production of shrinkage efiects on mixed threads oryarns having at most only a low degree of twist and mixed fabrics andlike materials composed of yarns having at most only a low degree oftwist and containing at least one organic derivative of cellulose, whichcomprises shrinking with methylene chloride in the presence of a diluentwhich is not miscible with water, materials containing constituentshaving difierent reactions to the shrinking action of methylenechloride.

12. Processv for the production of shrinkage effects on mixed threads oryarns having at most only a low degree of twist and mixed fabrics andlike materials composed of yarns having at the least an acetone-solublecellulose acetate, which comprises shrinking with a swelling agent whichwhich is dissolved in a water-immiscible diluent.

materials containing constituents having different reactions to theshrinking action of said latent solvent.

13. Process for the production of shrinkage eflects on mixed threads oryarns having at the most only a low degree of twist and mixed fabricsand like materials composed of yarns having at the most only a lowdegreeoi twist and containing at least an acetone-soluble celluloseacetate, which comprises shrinking, in the presence of a diluent notmiscible with water and with a halogenated hydrocarbon swelling agentwhich is a latent solvent for the cellulose acetate, materialscontaining constituents having different reactions to theshrinkingiaction of said latent solvent.

14. Process for the production of shrinkage efiects on mixed threads oryarns having at the most only a low degree of twist and mixed fabricsand like materials composed of yarns having at the most only a lowdegree of twist and containing at least an acetone-soluble celluloseacetate,

' which comprises shrinking with a to solu-

